Vv ; BOOKSTORE -, The History OF Bannock County daho The History OF Bannock County Idaho BY ARTHUR C. SAUNDERS Pocatello, Idaho. U. S. A. THE TRIBUNE COMPANY. LIMITED 1915 i * > V &6o^ COPYRIGHT 1915, BY THE TRIBUNE COMPANY. LTD. TABLE OF CONTENTS Pace Introduction 9 CHAPTER I Preliminary History 11 ' CHAPTER II Some Natural History 23 CHAPTER III The Indians 35 CHAPTER IV The Cowboy 46 CHAPTER V Fort Hall 55 CHAPTER VI The Nez Perce Indian War 66 CHAPTER VII The Bannock Indian "War and the Sheep-Eaters 76 CHAPTER VIII The Stas-e Coach 8S CHAPTER IX The Railroad 101 CHAPTER X General Conditions and Develop- ment Ill CHAPTER XI Pocatello 122 CHAPTER XII Conclusion 136 INTRODUCTION Although Bannock county is not yet twenty-five years old, it has seemed desirable to collect her history, before the adventures and legends of early days have been lost in the more pro- saic and pressing interests of today. Probably no state in the union is less known than Idaho. "Wyoming has her "Buffalo Bill," Colorado her Pike's Peak, Nevada her far, but ill- famed Reno; Utah her famous salt lake; all known throughout the Eng- lish speaking world. But Idaho, rich in natural resources, fertile and pros- perous, has furnished no wild-west tragedy like that of Custer in Wyo- ming, to attract the attention of writ- ers. She possesses no natural won- der to rival the Niagara Falls or Grand Canyon; she has produced no Kit Carson or Daniel Boone to fire the adventurous blood of ten-year-olds. Few people in the eastern states can accurately locate Idaho. They know dimly that it is in the great northwest, but whether it is hill or plain, mine or ranch, they have for- gotten along with much of the other lore of early school days. The history of Idaho, however, has already been published by men whose long residence in the state and ex- (9) History of Bannock County perienee in its public affairs emi- nently fitted them for the task. It is our more bumble and less preten- tious pleasure to record the annals of our own county — Bannock — than •which no other in Idaho is more beau- tiful in scenery, more romantic in history or more promising for the future. It is a pleasure to make grateful acknowledgment here of the valuable and ready help so courteously given in the compilation of this history by the heads of t,he various United States departments at Washington, the offi- cials of the Oregon Short Line, the city and county officers and the many private persons whose personal knowl- edge or study of the early days of Bannock county made their assistance indispensable. The list is too long to reproduce, but in most instances the authority has been cited in the text, although in several cases names have been omitted at personal request. Of course, what we call Bannock county today has existed since the time of Adam. And so — not to begin in the middle of the story— the first chapter is devoted to a rapid sketch of the territory comprising Bannock county, before the county was created (10) THE HISTORY OF BANNOCK COUNTY CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY HISTORY The territory now comprising Ban- nock county first entered the pages of history when, in 1662, the French Sieur de la Salle planted his coun- try's flag in what he called "Louisi- ana," after his sovereign, Louis XIV, of France. In order to prevent Eng- land from gaining it, and hoping at the same time to win an ally, Louis XV ceded Louisiana to Spain in 1762. Napoleon traded it back from Carlos IV of Spain, but later sold it. This was the territory purchased for the United States by Thomas Jefferson in 1803 and for which the country paid $15,000,000. It included the greater part if not all, of the present state of Idaho, and certainly all of Bannock county. The northwestern section of this purchase became known as the North- west Territory and included all land west of the summit of the Rocky Mountain range, between the forty- ninth and forty-second parallels of latitude. This was later called the (11) History of Bannock County Oregon territory, and contained not only the present state of Oregon, but also Washington, Idaho, and parts of Montana and Wyoming. In 1789, Captains Robert Gray and John Kendricks skirted the coast of this territory and traded for furs with the Indians, and three years later Captain Gray discovered the Columbia river, up which he sailed several miles. The Lewis and Clark expedition, which left St, Louis in May, 1804, headed by Captains Meri- wether Lewis and William Clark, gave such encouraging accounts of the re- sources of the Northwest Territory that many of the more adventurous people in the states were induced to undertake settling it. For a time Spain, Russia and Great Britain, as well as the United States, claimed the northwest, there beinp; some dispute between the latter two countries as to the boundary line be- tween Canada and the northern limits of the Louisiana purchase. Great Britain and the states, by treaty of October 20, 1818, agreed that the subjects of both countries should settle the territory jointly for a period of ton years. Before the ten years had passed, both Spain and Russia had ceded their claims to the United States— the former in 1810, the latter in 1824. At the expiration of the ten vears, the treaty between (12) History of Bannock County Great Britain and the United States was renewed indefinitely, to be an- nulled by either party after one year's notice. In his History of Idaho, Mr. Hiram T. French gives the following brief sketch of Jim Bridger, after whom Bridger street in Pocatello was named : "Among the men who trapped on the headwaters of the Missouri and its tributaries for the fur companies, probably none was better known than Jim Bridger. He made his headquar- ters at a place now in southwestern Wyoming, which became known as Fort Bridger, and was later one of the landmarks along the old 'Oregon Trail. ' "Jim Bridger is authoritatively credited with being the first white man to see Salt Lake. In 1824 he was trapping along Bear river in what is now Idaho territory. He fol- lowed the stream to the canyon lead- ing out of Cache valley. Climbing the high hills, he saw off to the south a large body of water. His interest aroused, he went on until he reached the shore, tasted the water and found it salty. Later an exploring party went around the lake and determined that it had no outlet. "After having spent many years among the Indians, Bridger lost his life at their hands." (13) (14) History of Bannock County The fate of Jim Bridger was not an uncommon one in the early days. A number of white men deserted their own kind to become the adopted mem- bers of Indian tribes. They took to themselves Indian wives, and dressed, spoke and lived as Indians. But their fate was nearly always the same. Sooner or later they were usually killed by the people of their adoption. Two American expeditions visited this country in 1832, one headed by Captain Bonneville. U. S, A., and the other by Captain Wyeth. Already some of the names in this narrative must have struck the read- er's ears as locally familiar — Clark, Lewis, Bonneville and Wyeth. All the cross streets in Pqcatello, except Center, which divides the city into north and south, are named after early explorers, Indian fighters, hunt- ers or men who otherwise distin- guished themselves in daring during the early days. Hence, Wfreth street, Bonneville street, etc. The streets parallel with the railway on the east side of the city are numbered, while those on the west are named for the various presidents, as Arthur, C!lar- field and Hayes. In this way Pocatello has linked to herself the names and therefoie the history and adventures of the daring and hardy pioneers of the travel in. A few post stages, which (89) (00) History of Bannock County would accommodate twenty-six pas- s-enters, were run over this road, but the" traffic was not heavy enough to brine: them into general use. In 1864, Ben Halliday, whose name has been given to a street in Poca- tello, secured a contract to carry the United States mails, and bought out Oliver and Conover. This line was later called the Halliday Overland Mail and Express, a name retained in the Overland Limited of tolav, on the Oregon Short Line and Union Pacific railroads. Ben Halliday was well known throughout the far west fifty years ago, and his name is linktd insepar- ably with her early history. Mr. Hi- ram T. French, in his History of Ida- ho, says: ''Ben Halliday was a prom- inent figure in the development of the country west of the Mississippi, and filled a place that no man lack- ing in courage, judgment or charac- ter could have held. To one who knows the west, 'Overland' is even yet a word to conjure by. In fancy one sees the dashing horses and lurch- ing coach, and hears the crack of the driver's whip." Hon. John Hailey writes from per- sonal knowledge of the famous stage man as follows: "Ben Halliday was a little over the average in size, strong in stature, fine looking, soci- able, generous, energetic and far-see- ing. In conversation his intellectual History of Bannock County face and eyes would fairly shine. He was open and frank in all his deal- ings. He was brave, quick and dar- ing in engaging in any legitimate business that tended to open the re- sources of this great western coun- try. "At the time Mr. Halliday estab- lished his Overland Stage Line from the Missouri river to Salt Lake City, and from Salt Lake City to Helena, Montana, and to Boise, the country through which his stages must run was wild, inhabited by none save In- dians, usually hostile, and a few white men who were equally dangerous. Few men would even have entertained the idea of engaging in such a dangerous and hazardous business, which in- volved the investment of several hun- dred thousand dollars to build sub- stantial stations, and fit up the road with the necessary live and rolling stock, f oragt , provisions, men arms, and ammunition for the protection of life, property and the United States mail, but Mr. Halliday did it success- fully. He opened the great Overland Route and transported mail and pas- sengers from the east to west and re- turn with reasonable celerity and se- curity, besides making the route much safer for others to travel and blaz- ing the way for the Union Pacific railroad, which was commenced soon after." The stage line through Bannock (91) History of Bannock County county passed from the hands of Ben Halliday to the Wells Fargo Express company, and later to the firm of Gilmore and Salisbury, who continued the service until the opening of the Utah and Northern railway made stages a thing of the past. The mountain fastnesses along the Portneuf canyon, made this the most dangerous stretch of road between Salt Lake City and Butte. It was very difficult to trail men over the lava rocks that abound along this route, and the wild nature of the country beyond them offered road agents a fair chance of safety. The gold bullion brought down from the Montana mines made a tempting prize, and encouraged highway rob- bery to such an extent that the out- rages in time gave birth to the vigi- lantes, who gave the robbers short shrift and in time succeeded in prac- tically ending their operations. The first hold-up in Bannock coun- ty occurred in 1863, about a mile and a half west of Pocatello creek, when Jack Hughes, a Denver man, was robbed of $0,000 by Brocky Jack, at that time a well-known character alonjr the stage road. The trick was easily turned and Brocky Jack es- caped with his booty without firing a gun. In 1865, a far more serious affair was perpetrated near Robbers' Roost (92) History of Bannock County Creek, a few miles west of the pres- ent town of McCammon. A stage of the Concord type, carrying several passengers and $60,000 of private money, was betrayed by its driver, Frank Williams, to a gang led by Jim Locket. As he rounded a steep hill, Williams turned his horses suddenly, breaking the reach of the coach, and the road agents, concealed in the brush, which was so thick at this point that it scratched the sides of the stage, gave the word to halt. Among the passengers were two wealthy St. Louis merchants, David Dinan and a man named McCausland. These men were apprehensive of be- ing held up and carried their guns in their hands, ready for instant use. This precaution probably caused their death. At the cry, "Hands up," the passengers discharged their guns into the brush, shooting too high to wound their opponents, but thereby bringing upon themselves a volley that killed both Dinan and McCausland and two other men, one of them being Law- rence Merz, a passenger who was sit- ting by the driver. Charles Parks, a messenger, riding within the coach, was shot in the foot, while one man, whose name is variously given as Brown and Carpenter, escaped un- hurt. The murdered men were bur- ied in a gulch near the scene of their death and the coach, riddled with bul- lets, was taken to Malad. (93) (94) History of B anno c k C o u n t y None of the members of this gang were apprehended, but Williams, the driver, was arrested and hung. He retained his position for some ten days after the hold-up, and then, ac- tuated perhaps by a guilty conscience and the fear of detection, resigned and went to Salt Lake. Here it was noticed that he spent money very freely, and he was seized later in Denver. Jim Locket was a man of such notorious character that no at- tempt was made to trail him, the few settlers in the neighborhood at that time preferring to give him as wide a berth as possible. Three men, named McCay, Jones and Spangler, followed a stage out of Malad City in 1870, and held it up some six or seven miles from that city. Spangler and Jones were after- ward captured, but Jones escaped from jail, and Spangler cleared him- self by giving information that led to the recovery of $6,000 of the $9,000 taken from the coach. Two weeks later, in 1870, a very daring hold-up was made by two men near the top of the Malad divide. One of the men was variously known as Ed. Flag, Frank Long and Frank Carpenter. The other, whose name was Stone, was said to belong to a good family in Louisville, Ky. These two men placed three dum- mies in a half-exposed position near History of Bannock County tnje road and succeeded in making off with $36,000 in gold bullion without firing a shot. The stage carried no passengers. The driver returned to Malad and said that he had been held up by a gang of five men. After some delib- eration, J. N. Ireland, now a resi- dent of Pocatello, Tom Oakley, Dan- iel Robbins and four others, set out to trail the bandits. This was not a difficult matter in the early days, pro- vided the fugitives took to the brush, which they were obliged to do in most cases in order to find conceal- ment. Their horses, in pushing a way through the growth, left a well-de- fined track that a child could follow, and as travelers were few, there was little danger of hitting the wrong trail. But while it was sometimes an easy matter to follow up a gang of robbers, few men cared to under- take the task. A road agent knew that capture probably meant death and his very occupation was a suffi- cient guarantee that he would kill without scruple. He had the advan- tage, too of being able to ambush his pursuers, and shoot them before they could seek cover. The posse of seven men took up the trail of the bandits at the spot where the hold-up occurred and traced them to Birch Creek. As evening came on and darkness closed in, and (95) (96) History of Bannock County when they bad ridden some twenty miles, the pursuers came within a half mile of the robbers, whom they found to be on the opposite side of the creek. In the early morning they crossed the creek, and were close upon Flag and Stone, before those men were aware of their proximity. Not expecting1 pursuit, the highwaymen were not on their guard. They con- cealed themselves in a steep hollow, where slender willows, about the thickness of a man's finger, and sev- en feet high, grew in such profusion that they formed an impenetrable hiding place. Mr. Ireland and his party rode past this hollow to the robbers' horses, where a council of war was held. At last Mr. Ireland and Dan Robbins volunteered to trail Flag and Stone while three of the party remained with the horses, and Tom Oakley, armed with a very fine rifle belonging to Mr. Ireland, took a position on the hillside behind a rock, where he could pick off the road agents if they emerged from the brush. Cautiously, with every sense alert, the two daring men worked their way into the hollow. They knew they were within a few feet of their quarry, but could see nothing of them. Pres- ently Mr. Ireland said: "Dan, here's where we're close upon them, because they have trampled these willows History of Bannock County down and they have sprung up again. ' ' At the same moment Oakley's voice called a warning from the hill, "Look out! You're close on them!" Simultaneously a shot rang out and Daniel Bobbins fell, riddled with shot. Flag and Stone made a clash from cover, but Oakley brought them both down with two well-directed shots from his rifle. The two men lay side by side, Flag dead, and Stone with a wound in his leg that necessitated its amputation. Mr. Ireland and his companions tried to get iSltone to tell where the $36,000 taken from the coach was hidden. Stone at first insisted that the stage had been held up by five men, three of whom had in turn robhed himself and Flag, who were left empty-handed. These three men, Stone said, had the money. Tom Oakley, after whom the town of Oak- ley in Bannock county was named, was a man of forbidding appearance and a bad man to trifle with. He took a hand in the matter and Stone finally confessed that the money was hidden near Elkhorn, where it was after- ward found. After the fight, which occurred in the early morning, Mr. Ireland rode back to Malad and returned the same day with a doctor, having traveled (97) (08) History of Bannock County over forty miles after his harrowing experience. Mr. Robbins recovered from his wounds and died a few years ago in Salt Lake. At the time they entered the willow thicket, Mr. Ireland was wearing a grey and Mr. Robbins a white shirt. Stone said afterward that he and Flag saw the gleam of the white shirt through the foliage, and were thus enabled to shoot Rob- bins, although they could see no other portion of the two men. Stone was sent to the penitentiary at Boise, but after a short imprison- ment secured a pardon and became a preacher. Not until after their return from this expedition did Mr. Ireland's party learn that a large reward had been offered for the capture of the two road agents. A quarter of the $36,000 stolen was divided among the seven men, who received $1280 each. Another successful use of dummies was made by a lone bandit, who placed several at a turn in the road not far from Malad, and succeeded in relieving a coach, driven by James Boyle, of several bars of gold. There were no passengers in the stage. One night during the summer of 1873. a stage manned by Charley Phelps and Joe Pinkham was ordered to stop by a road agent, while pass- ing through Portneuf canyon. In- stead of obeying the order, the stage- History of Bannock County men fired in the direction of the voice. The fire was returned and Phelps, who was driving, fell back, mortally wounded. Pinkham caught up the reins and the stage dashed on without stopping. Phelps was buried in the cemetery at Malad, where the following inscription stands over his grave : "In memory of Charles Phelps, of St. Lawrence County, New York. Driver on the Overland Stage Line, who was mortally wounded, July 16, 1873, in an at- tack on his coach by highway- men, in Portneuf Canyon, Idaho, and died on the following day. "Age 43 years. "He fell, as all true heroes fall. While answering to his duty's call. "This stone is erected by his friends and companions, who loved and respected him, and sin- cerely mourn his death." The days of the stage coach have passed, and with them the incidents that we class under adventure and romance in the reading, but that meant hardship, danger and exposure in the making. The advent of the railroad was the beginning of a new era in Bannock county — an era of prosperity and growth, but also, let us not forget, an era for which the way was paved by the hardy pioneers (99) 1?'?69.3A History of Bannock County who faced the wilderness unafraid, and tamed it for the uses of civiliza- tion. These men, following their humble lot in life and performing their toilsome duties from day to day, were in truth empire builders, to whom is due the respect and honor of all right-feeling men. (100) CHAPTER IX. THE RAILROAD. It occurs to few men, as they glide smoothly across the Snake river in a vestibuled train, and watch the seething waters toss and tumble be- low the substantial iron bridge, to think of the problem the passage of this same stream afforded the trav- eler of fifty years ago. In his "Ven- tures and Adventures," Ezra Meeker tells of how he crossed the Snake in 1852. Mr. Meeker and his party had crossed the plains from Iowa, on their way to Oregon, and by the time they reached Idaho their funds were al- most exhausted. Ferries were scarce and where one was found, the price asked for a passage was prohibitive to most of the immigrants. '"Some immigrants," writes Mr. Meeker, "had caulked three wagon beds and lashed them together, and were crossing, but would not help others across for less than from three to five dollars a wagon, the party swimming their own stock. If others could cross in wagon-beds, why could not I do likewise? Without much ado, all the old clothing that could possi- bly be spared was marshalled, tar buckets ransacked, old chisels and broken knives hunted up, and a veri- (101) History of Bannoc k C o u n t y table boat repairing and caulking campaign inaugurated, and shortly the wagon-box rode placidly, even if not gracefully on the turbid waters of the formidable river. "My first venture across the Snake river was with the wagon gear run over the wagon box, the whole being gradually worked out into deep wa- ter. The load was so heavy that a very small margin was left to pre- vent the water from breaking over the sides, and some actually did, as light ripples on the surface struck the "Mary Jane," as we had chris- tened (without wine) the 'craft,' as she was launched. However, I got over safely, but after that took light- er loads and really enjoyed the nov- elty of the work and the change from the intolerable dust, and the atmos- phere of the water." The Utah & Northern was the first railroad to enter the territory of Idaho. It was promoted by John W. Young, a son of Brigham Young, whose name has been given to Young street in Pocatello, but although a large sum of local capital was invest- ed, the enterprise received its chief support from Joseph and Benjamin Richardson, two contractors of New York City, whom Young interested in the project. In March, 1873, congress granted a right of way to Young's company (102) History of Bannock County running along the Bear river valley, through Soda Springs, up the Snake river valley and across Montana to a junction point with the Northern Pacific. The act allowed ten years in which to complete the work of construction. A second act, passed in June, 1878, empowered "the Utah & Northern Railroad company and its assigns to build their road by way of Marsh valley, Portneuf and Snake river instead of by way of Soda Springs and Snake river valley." By the spring of 1877 the road had been constructed as far as the Snake river. In the following year a bond issue of $4,991,000 was "floated and during 1880 the rails were extended to Silver Bow, Montana, a distance of 328 miles from the Utah line. In July, 1882, congress officially ratified an agreement made at Fort Hall between the Shoshone and Ban- nock Indians and Joseph K. McCam- mon, whose name has been given to the town of McCammon in this coun- ty, and several railroad officers, by which the promoters secured a right of way through the reservation. The opening of the Utah & North- ern railway gave the first great im- petus to settlement and development in southeastern Idaho, making it pos- sible to market produce profitably and at the same time bringing the set- tler into touch with the outside world. (103) History of Bannock County The Portnenf canyon, through which this line was constructed, is one thou- sand feet lower than any other mountain pass within three hundred miles either north or south, and con- stitutes a natural gateway through which a very large portion of the produce of the great northwest must pass on its way to an eastern market. The Utah & Northern Railway com- pany was consolidated with the Ore- gon Short Line Railway company in August, 1889, being known as the Oregon Short Line & Northern Rail- way company, and in 1897 the two were merged into the present Oregon Short Line Railroad company. The Utah & Northern had con- structed a narrow gauge line. When the old Short Line Railway company built its line between Granger and Huntington it used the transportation facilities afforded by the Utah & Northern both to the east and west of Pocatello. During the early part of 1882 the Short Line laid a narrow gauge track between Pocatello and the Snake river crossing, now Ameri- can Falls, and from McOammon, at that time called Harkness, to a point near the present station of Pebble. During the year 1882, the Utah & Northern track between MeCammon and Pocatello was rebuilt to stand- ard gauge, the narrow gauge equip- ment of that company being provided (104) History of Bannock County for by laying a third rail. By the summer of 1SS7 the entire line be- tween Poeatello and Silver Bow, Mon- tana, was operating on a standard gauge, while the lines to the east and south had been similarly reconstruct- ed before 1890. At the time the first railroad bridge across the Snake river was huilt, American Falls was located on the western side of the river. The popu- lation was made up of the usual as- sortment of men, who make up the population of frontier towns. The good, the bad and the indifferent were there — graders, stockmen. Chinamen, gamblers and business men, with a few women — all rough and ready: hardy people of the plains and the mountains. Law and order were ad- ministered in a ready manner and summary justice was meted out to the evil-doer by self-constituted judges and juries. Two of the worst characters in the neighborhood at that time were cow- boys, gamblers and probably mur- derers; "Tex" and "Johnson," as they were known to the people of American Falls. One night some Chinamen were murdered and the more law-abiding citizens decided that if the culprits were found they should suffer for the crime. The two cowboys. "Tex" and Johnson, were suspected of the (105) History of Bannock County murder, but as no certain proof was obtainable, they were not punished, but ordered to leave town. This they did, going1 to the east side of the river and spending the night in a house occupied by Buck Houston. The next day they returned to the west side. The law and order element immedi- ately organized a necktie party, with "Tex" and Johnson as the chief guests. With a grim brevity the two were taken to the river, ropes thrown over an iron span, and with a short wait for the usual last words they were hurried into eternity. Their bodies swung back and forth, sus- pended from the bridge, the falls roaring and splashing beneath them, and the spray shooting up into the air, wetting their high boots and leather chaps. Afterwards the two bodies were cut down and taken to the top of the bluff, overlooking the river, and there they were buried. Two rough slabs, with "Tex" carved on one, and "Johnson" on the other, were placed at their heads. The mounds where these men were buried are still dis- cernable. In most newly-settled communities, justice is administered quickly and wit hunt the formality of legal pro- ceedings. This was especially true of the early days in the west. Time was when the regular method of col- (106) History of Bannock County lecting overdue bills in Bannock coun- ty was at the mouth of a gun, and this within the memory of living men. Horse theft was punishable with death throughout the far west, the penalty being no more than propor- tionate to the crime. For the west in those days was a desert country, &nd the loss of a man's horse often meant a horrible death by thirst be- cause the next watering place was further away than a man could walk. So it happened that while a cowboy sometimes paid a hundred dollars for his saddle and only twenty-five dol- lars for his pony, he would forgive the man who stole the former, but without scruple hang the man who stole the horse. The terminal facilities of the Ore- gon Short Line at Pocatello have been steadily increased and the road- bed improved because of the immense traffic caused by the development of the tributary territory. In 1904 the "Michaud Cut-off" was made in or- der to straighten the track a few miles west of Pocatello. Since 1910 the road has been double-tracked be- tween Lava Hot Spring's and Mich- aud, and in that year the svstem of mechanical block signals was com- pleted from the eastern to the west- ern boundary of the county. A branch line, connecting Alexander and Grace, a distance of about six miles, was (107) History of Bannock County opened in 1913. Among other note- worthy recent improvements are the Batise Springs water plant, the Cen- ter street viaduct and Halliday street subway in Pocatello, the new shop buildings and depot, now being built in the same city, and the new depot and water plant at MeCammon. The Oregon Short Line is the ar- tery through which pulses the very life blood of Bannock county. In the Pocatello shops over eleven hundred men are employed, and those who find work on the Montana and Idaho divi- sions bring the number to about 4000. It is, therefore, a very fortunate thing for the community at large that the Oregon Short Line Railroad com- pany is one of the apparently few large corporations in tlhis country today that realizes a moral responsi- bility toward the general public. A .'.omparison of the Safety First move- ment as conducted by this company with the conditions that are not only tolerated but apparently encouraged by the owners of the Colorado mines shows what a great blessing or curse the attitude of big corporations to- ward the public welfare may be. Some years ago, l\fa*. Harriman, while talking with the claims attor- ney of one of the roads in which he was interested, about the policy to bft ndonted in dealing with injured employes in (he maiier <»? settlements, (108) History of Bannock County and particularly of providing them with some kind of work when they had been so seriously injured that they could not fill their former posi- tions, said that he wanted "all in- jured men to be dealt with along the lines of practical Christianity." That this idea is still followed by the com- pany is shown by the fact that in June, 1914, only one injured employe had a suit pending against the com- pany for injuries received in its ser- vice; the rest being satisfied with the terms of settlement accorded them by the company. The Safety First movement, by which the Oregon Short Line seeks to guard the safety of .'its employes ?nd of the public alike, is an educa- tional measure inaugurated about two years ago and intended to interest all people. The work is carried on by means of committees. At each division point is what is known as a "sub-commit- tee," composed of men from all branches of the service, who suggest changes in the road's equipment or in existing conditions, that will make the work of railroading safer. If the suggestions made cannot be act- ed upon locally, they are referred to the "division committee," which in turn accepts or rejects them, and if unable to enforce them by its own vote, recommends them to the "cen- tral committee." This body is eom- (109) History of Bannock County posed of officials of the road and their decision is final. In this way the entire Short Line force, from the newest and lowest paid employe to the highest officer, is interested in the common safety, and is in a posi- tion to suggest measures for the gen- eral good. That the system is suc- cessful is shown by the fact that dur- ing the year ending June, 1913, there were 2829 people injured on the Ore- gon Short Line. During that ending June, 1914, the total was reduced to 3711, or 39.5 per cent. During the first six months of this year there were only 606 accidents, as against 955 for the same months of 1913 — a reduction of over 61 per cent. The company is also conducting a campaign to eliminate the accidents caused by trespassing. In 1913, 5434 trespassers wore killed on the rail- roads in the United States. Of these, 10 per cent were tramps, 70 per cent young men or heads of families, and 20 per cent were children under 14 years of age. By trying to educate school children, their teachers and the general public in precautionary meas- ures, and by attempting to secure proper legislation on the subject, the Oregon Short Line Railroad company is trying to still further enhance its value to the people at large and to reduce to a minimum the accidents connected with all great railroad cor- porations. (330) CHAPTER X. GENERAL CONDITIONS AND DEVELOPMENT. In his book " Astoria," written about 1840, in which he gives the history of an attempt made by the first John Jacob Astor to establish a fur trade to the west of the Rocky Mountains, Washington Irving re- peatedly regrets the fact that the great stretch of the western plains must forever form a desert stretch between the civilization of the west and that of the east. In one place he says: "Some portions of it (the prairie) along the river* may par- tially be subdued by agriculture, others may form vast pastoral tracts, like those of the east; but it is to be feared that a great part of it will form a lawless interval between the abodes of civilized man, like the wastes of the ocean or the deserts of Arabia; and, like them, be subject to the depredations of the ma- rauder." In this the great writer proved to be a false prophet. Irrigation and the principles of dry farming are fast converting the desert into productive farm land, and land that a few years as-o could be had for a sony is today (111) (112) History of Bannock County held at high prices. The United States Census report for 1910 gave the average value o'f land in Bannock county as $7.76 per acre. In 1910, the same bureau °-ave the average value as being $21.57. This increase in value, however, is not due to development alone, but also to the increased rainfall during recent years, which has made it pos- sible to profitably till soil that was before considered arid. The total precipitation in Pocatello in 1901 was 7.56 inches. In 1906, it was 18.17 inches, and in 1907, 17.43 inches, while in 1914 it was over 18. 6U inches. Some scientists explain this by saying that the increased areas of irrigation give off a sufficient evapor- ation to form clouds, which precipi- tate the evaporated water in the form of rain and snow, while others main- tain that the surface of irrigation waters is not large enough to effect the annual precipitation. But what- ever the explanation, the fact remains that many hitherto unproductive tracts have now sufficient natural moisture to make them productive. The only weather bureau in Ban- nock county is situated at Pocatello, at an altitude of 4,483 feet, and the following statistics were registered at that place: The average number of days per year with more than .01 inch <>'!' precipitation is 92. The mean History of Bannock County temperature is about 47.5; nearly the same as that of eastern Massachu- setts, but more equably distributed. The earliest killing- frost of the win- ter usually comes about the middle of October, and the last in the spring toward the end of April. The population of the county in 1910 was 19,242; in 1900 it was 11,702. Some idea of the cosmopoli- tan character of the population may be gathered from the fact that there were in this county in 1910, 52 Chi- nese. 360 Japanese, 129 negroes, 641 Greeks, 483 English, 288 Danes, 280 Italians, and 232 Swedes, beside smaller numbers from fifteen other nationalities. Only 51 per cent of the population were nativ° born children of native parents. The county con- tained 11,405 males, and 7837 fe- males. These were divided into 3.668 families, housed in 3.560 dwellings. In 1910 the county had 1,503 farms, as against 769 in 1900. The value of all farm property was $10,957,609, an increase of 188.6 per cent over the total valuation in 1900. The value of all crops in 1910 was $1,339 642, the most valuable being cereals, which totaled $653,768. Hay and forage came next at $610,585. The remain- ing crops were made up of grains and seeds, vegetables, fruits and nuts, and a few other products. The total irri- gated area is about 110,000 acres. (113) History of Bannock County The altitude in the valleys varies from 4,250 i'eet to 5.780, -while among the mountains it is, of course, much higher. There is a large acreage of fine, well-watered pasture land in the county, on which grows an abundance of nutritious bunch grass. McCam- mon, Downey, Oxford, and Soda Springs are all surrounded with rich agricultural lands, and at the latter place are a number of hot mineral springs, whose waters are bottled and widely sold. Lava Hot Springs will in time be a health resort of more than state-wide fame, the beauty of its surroundings as well as its health- giving springs making it an ideal spot for rest and recreation. There was a time when deer, bear and other game were plentiful in this county, and it is only about ten years since a settler was sitting quietly in his cabin one summer evening, read- ing a magazine, when he was dis- turbed by a slight noise. He paid no attention to this, but was suddenly startled a second time by an ear- splitting scream from his cat, who made a dasli 'for the door, and in her exit, jumped over a bear, who was calmly walking in. The settler was not in the habit of entertaining stray bears in his cabin, and was at a loss to know how to greet the visitor. In his perplexity he emitted a yell that startled all the bears for many miles (114) History of Bannock County around and caused the one lone bear in the cabin to make a hasty dive for cover under the bed. The rancher's gun hung over the bed, but he did not turn that way. He headed toward the door. As he neared it, the bear, for reasons known only to himself, made a dash in the same direction and man and beast were jammed in the narrow entry. The man pushed in and the bear pushed out, but in his excitement the animal turned clean about in the open and presently rushed back into the cabin to his own surprise no less than that of the inmate. The latter, however, was now safe on his bed, and reach- ing for the gun, he probably added considerably to Mr. Bruin's perplex- ity by sending him unexpectedly into kingdom come. Parts of three national forests are situated in Bannock county; the Caribou in the east, the Cache in the southeast, and the Poeatello in the western part. The Poeatello division of the Poeatello forest was cieated September 15, 1903, from an examina- tion by Edward T. Allen. Following an examination by Rob- ert B. Wilson, the Portneuf division was created March 2, 1907. The Malad division, created May 28, 1906, as a part of the Bear River forest, became a part of the Poeatello in the reorganization of July 1, 1908. These (115) History of Bannock County national forest lands, covering, in general, the Portneuf and Marsh Creek watersheds, were merged into the Pocatello forest July 1, 1908. The Bear River forest, almost en- circled hy the Bear river or its tribu- taries, was formed May 28, 1906, and with the Logan became the Cache July 1, 1908. The Caribou forest was established January 15, 1907, the part in Ban- nock county lying mainly on the wa- tersheds of the Blackfoot, Salt, and Bear rivers. Peter T. Wrensted, Clinton G. Smith, and J. F. Bruins, in turn, su- pervised the Pocatello, the headquar- ters during this time being at Poca- tello. The Pocatello and Cache were joined March 1, 1914, for administra- tive purposes, under Mr. Smith, whose headquarters are now at Logan, Utah. Logan is the headquarters of the Cache, which has had four super- visors, John F. Squires, Mark G. Woodruff. W. W. Clark, and C. G. Smith. The Caribou has been admin- istered by Supervisors J. T. Wede- tneyer, N. E. Snell, and George G. Bentz. The headquarters is at Mont- pelier. The need of planting to restock the great areas of burned and insuffi- ciently forested land in the national forests was recognized almost as soon as they were proclaimed. Particular- (116) History of Bannock County ly was this need felt as to the forests withdrawn for watershed protection, and on watersheds furnishing1 a do- mestic supply the need was most urgent. At that time a pleasing theory existed that every forest ranger should have a nursery in which to raise trees for setting out in the hills during his spare time. With this idea, the nursery on Mink Creek among others, was started. It was then realized that nursery and planting work presented special- ized technical problems calling for a high degree of skill to meet success- fully the adverse conditions of an arid region. Soon after the nursery was started, it was realized that suc- cess could be hoped for only by cen- tralizing this work at favorable loca- tions. The shipping facilities at Poea- tello, together with the need of ex- tensive planting there with a favor- able site for the nursery determined the location at that place. The early work was experimental and principally valuable as indicating the future methods to be followed. However, actual production of stock was begun on an extensive scale in 1911, and since that time half a mil- lion or more young trees have been shipped each year to the forests of southern Idaho and Utah. The pres- ent capacity of the nursery is about 2,000.000 plants a year and the nur- (117) (118) History of Bannoc k C o u n t y sery is firmly on its feet with a rec- ord of successful production of stock for several years at a cost not ex- ceeding five dollars per thousand for the stock supplied. At present there are probably three or four million young- trees in the nursery, the prin- cipal species being Douglas fir and yellow pine. Stream Aoav protection is the first object o'f the service on the area of the Pocatello city watershed. Dur- ing the time that this area was part of the Indian reservation there was not much difficulty with stream flow protection, but when it was opened, the citizens received an object lesson in the effects of free grazing that led to the inclusion of the watershed in a forest and the prohibition of graz- ing. The protection of this area has been devoted to prevention of fire, prohibition of grazing and replanting to forest. During the last five years, not five acres of this area has been burned. Control of grazing is more difficult because the boundaries are not fenced, but it may be stated that with the exclusion of stock, the for- age has been completely replaced, forming a sight such as gladdened the eye of the first explorer and inciden- tally a cover that prevents erosion and rapid run-off of water. The streams are almost always clear and the city of Pocatello has an except- History of Bannock County tionally pure and palatable supply of water. The planting operations will prob- ably have no effect on the water sup- ply of the present generation, as it is being undertaken for the future timber supply and present experimen- tal value. About 200,000 trees are being planted a year and recently with good success. The conifers planted are slow growing, but the early plantations are a foot or two high and even the present generation should see fine groves as a result. Lately the question of stocking this area with game has been considered. It is pointed out that the area is an ideal natural range for elk, deer and other game, also that such a use would not interfere with the stream protec- tion, but would furnish meat, sport and attractiveness to the region and would tend to reduce the fire danger. To provide complete use with com- plete protection will be the next logi- cal step. In spite of the wild and sometimes forbidding scenery that meets the traveler's eve from the train window, there are probably few more peaceful communities than Bannock county in the farming sections of the east. Women frequently live alone and un- protected on isolated ranches and are seldom molested. The case of Hugh Whitney, the bandit and outlaw who (119) History of Bannock County robbed Pocatello o'f a true citizen, and upon whose head there rests a large reward, is today an exception. His story is too well known to be re- peated in detail here. In brief, Hugh Whitney, who was a Wyoming sheep- man, and a companion, held up a sa- loon at Monida, just over the Mon- tana line, in 1911, and were appre- hended on a train running south to- ward Pocatello. The sheriff who had boarded the train to make the arrest, placed his guns on a seat in order to handcuff the prisoners. Whitney grabbed those and shot both the sher- iff and Conductor James Kidd, who was helping the officer. Conductor Kidd died in Pocatello within a few days. The sheriff recovered. Whitney and his companion jumped from the moving train and separated in making their escape. Wlhitney was trailed by posses for weeks, and in the course of the chase killed several of his pursuers. Although blood- hounds were used in the attempt to capture him, he eluded all pursuit with an ingenuity worthy of a better cause. When the excitement had died down somewhat, he and his brother held up a bank in Cody. Wyoming, driv- ing the employes into the safe and locking them up there while they made their escape. Evidently the days of "bad men," in the criminal sense of the terra, are (120) History of Bannock County not yet ended in the far west, but the facility o'f communication afforded by the railway, telephone and telegraph makes their trade very hazardous, and the ordinary citizen lives in less danger of being held up or shot than does the wayfarer on the streets of New York or Chicago. (121) CHAPTER XL POCATELLO. The city of Pocatello, so named in memory of an Indian chief, stands at the western entrance to the Portneuf canyon, and for that reason is appro- priately known as the "Gate City." Its site marks the junction of the Montana and Idaho divisions of the Oregon Short Line railroad, and the tremendous volume of traffic that passes through its yards, together with the many departments main- tained here, is rapidly developing a large and prosperous city. Twenty- five years ago the town was a mere 'hamlet; in 1910 the United States Census returns gave a population of 9,100, and in 1914 Polk's Directory credits Pocatello with over 12,000 in- habitants, to which must be added some 500 transients. The city is the metropolis and county seat of Ban- nock county, and the second largest place in the state of Idaho. Pocatello is pre-eminently a rail- road town, and to the railroad she owes her birth as well as her growth. When the westward course of the Oregon Short Line crossed the tracks of the Utah & Northern railroad, some fifty miles south of Idaho Falls, (122) History of Bannock County then called Eagle Rock, a hamlet nat- urally sprang up at the junction. This was in the heart of the Fort Hall Indian reservation, but the rail- road had a grant of some two hun- dred acres for its right of way, upon which it allowed settlement, and upon which, in 1882, it erected the Pacific hotel and station. Shoshone had been selected by the railroad officials as, a division terminal, but there beinsr some dispute relative to the townsite, they determined upon Pocatello in- stead. In 1887 the town received a further impetus in the removal thither of the shops from Idaho Falls, which brought several hundred men, many of them with families, into the ham- let. For the accommodation of this addition, the railroad company built what is today known as Company Row. One of the most historic buildings in the city is the two-story frame house to the left of the west end of the Center street viaduct. In the days when buildings were scarce and the little available space overcrowded, this building, now used for office pur- poses, served as a public meeting hall. Portneuf Lodge, No. 18, A. F. & A. M. was organized here in 1SS6, and met in the building for some time. In the late eighties the building was used for public school purposes, and in 1891 as the fire hall. At various (123) History of Bannock County times it has been used as a church, a theatre, a pool hall, and within its walls were held many a church fair that helped to build the present city churches, and many a dance that lives yet in the memories of the older mem- bers of Poeatello society. The city council also used it for a meeting place. Although there was no land open for settlement, there quickly grew up a typical frontier town, "wide-open," as the saying is, where excitement ran high, where vice went unashamed, and where saloons and gambling knew no closing hours nor Sunday laws. At last the demand for more room be- came so insistent, that the United States government purchased two thousand acres of reservation land from the Indians, to be used as a town-site. This was surveyed in 1889, and the following year lots were sold at auction at prices ranging from ten to fifty dollars. At that sale the foundation of many comfortable for- tunes of today were made. Already some buildings had boon erected, and it was feared that the purchase of their sites by other parties migtyit cause trouble. But the squatter's right was honored, and the man who had built a store or homo was allowed to secure a title to his holdings. The community was organized into a village during this year, with H. L. (124) History of Bannock County Beeraft as chairman of the board of trustees, and D. K. Williams, A. F. Caldwell, L. A. West and Doctor Davis members. Another tract of reservation land was opened for set- tlement in 1905.. Before 1892, Pocatello had a popu- lation of over three thousand, and by an act of legislature it was in that year created a city of the first class. At the first city election, held in 1893, Edward Stein was elected mayor; Ed. Sadler, clerk, and J. J. Curl, treas- urer. Eight councilmen were also elected. Echvard Stein, Pocatello 's first mayor, and now a citizen of Boise, has had an eventful career. He is a grandson of Baron von Stein, com- mander-in-chief of the Prussian army during the Napoleonic wars. His father, William von Stein, a veteran of the Franco-Prussian war, became a follower of the brilliant reformer Carl Schurz, and upon the failure of the latter 's attempt to establish a democracy in Germany, was cast into prison. He was afterwards released, but lost his title to nobility. Edward von Stein was born in Schubina, Poland, January 17, 1854, and was educated at the Prussian University of Bromberg. His republican tenden- cies naturally turned his attention to- ward America, where Carl Schurz and many another European revolu- (125) History of Bannock County tionist had already found a haven, and with his father's approval, em- barked in 1871 on the steamer Weiland from Hamburg to New York. Because he had reached an age at which the German military service would have claimed him, young Stein had entered upon his journey without a passport, an application for which would have led to his compulsory en- listment in the army. Presently an officer of the ship accosted him and demanded his passport, and proceed- ed to make a search for it when none was forthcoming. But the search was vain, which the officer announced in a loud voice, adding that officials had warned the ship's officers that young von Stein had no passport. The future mayor of Pocatello thereupon produced a packet from his pocket, which he handed to the officer, who examined its contents, and promptly shouted to his superior officer, "I find the papers of Mr. Stein to be quite correct." The packet contained the four hundred marks his father had given him at starting. It was, therefore, with a light pocketbook that Mr. von Stein land- ed in the United States. He was anxious, however, to see something of the country before settling down, and got as far as Chicago before his funds failed. He accordingly pawned some of his belongings, and was de- (126) History of Bannock County jectedly walking the streets, wonder- ing where to turn in his perplexity, when a gun was thrust suddenly in his face, and the order given, "Hands up." The highwayman found noth- ing of value on his victim, and when he learned that the boy was penniless, took him to a restaurant and bought him a meal, and told him where he could find employment as a Polish- German interpreter in a brick yard. From then on von Stein's fortunes began to advance. He spent some time in "Wisconsin, was recalled to Europe in 1876 by his father's death, when he made an extended tour of the continent, returned to this coun- try and made a fortune in the Black Hills, which he later lost in mining ventures, and moved on to Colorado, where he married. In 1884 he came to Idaho, and in time became super- intendent of car service on the Ore- gon Short Line, with headquarters in Pocatello. Before his tenure expired, Mr. von Stein resigned his office as mayor of Pocatello, and moved to Nampa, where he had purchased a section of land, and helped to organize that town. He still has property interests in Pocatello. A. B. Bean succeeded Edward Stein as mayor of the city, and was fol- lowed by W. F. Kasiska, the present proprietor of the Bannock hotel and (127) History of Bannock County owner of large real estate and busi- ness interests in and about Pocatello. Mr. Kasiska held the office until 1898, when W. T. Reeves was elected, who in turn was succeeded by A. B. Bean, the former mayor of 1894. During 1895,^ J. B. Bistline filled the office. Mr. Bistline is a member of the Bistline Lumber company and has been a resident of the city since 1891. M. D. Rice was the next mayor and in 1901 Theodore Turner was elected to the office. He was re-elected in 1912. Theodore Turner is one of the most prominent men in the political life of the county. He was a state senator in 1900, and in 1902 was elected state auditor. Besides hold- ing many public offices, Mayor Turner has taken great interest in the Acad- emy of Idaho and in the good roads movement. Dr. 0. B. Steeley succeeded Mr. Turner in the mayor's chair, and has since served the county as coroner and the city as school trustee. In 1904, D. Swinehart filled the office, and in 1905, W. H. Cleare. Mr. Clears was one of the organizers of the Farmers cV Traders Hank in l'oca- tello and also of the Railroad Y. M. C. A. He served in the citv council during the years 1901-2, and lias been a member of the board of trustees of the Academy of Idaho. Dr. C. E. M. Loux, of the lumber (128) History of Bannock County firm of Loux, McConnell & Co., a member of the city council, was elected to the mayoralty in 1907. and D. W. Church, cashier of the Ban- nock National Bank, in 1909. Mr. Church is one of the most prominent members of the Republican party in Bannock county, and was a state sen- ator in 1898. He has been identified since the organization of the city with nearly every movement for civic bet- terment and advancement. Mr. Church was succeeded by J. M. Bistline. a brother and business partner of the mayor of 1899, who in turn was fol- lowed by Theodore Turner, who is now filling the office for the second time. Many other residents of Pocatello whose names make a list too long to repeat here, have rendered valuable public service to both the city and county. Among them may be men- tioned Judge T. A. Johnston, who for a period of twelve years, beginning in 1900, served the county as probate judge; Oscar B. Sonnenkalb, who has been county surveyor since 1896; the late D. Worth Clark, Lorenzo Brown, Andrew B. Stevenson, and John Hull, who have served in the state senate ; Wl. A. Staley. W. J. Inkling, Col. H. V. A. Ferguson, and W. A. Hyde, former members of the state house of representatives; Alfred Budge, who. after long and faithful service (129) (130) History of Bannock County as district judge, has just been ele- vated to the supreme bench of the state; Daniel C. McDougal. attorney general of the state of Idaho in 1908, and Hon. Drew TV. Standrod. Judge Standrod was elected district attorney in 1S86, while he was still a resident of Malad, where his father practiced medicine for many years, and in 1890 he ran successfully for election as judge of the Fifth Judi- cial District of the state of Idaho. He moved to Poeatello in 1895, since which time he has been actively iden- tified with the legal and financial ac- tivities of the city. In addition to his interest in the First National Bank of Poeatello. of which he is president, Judge Standrod is interested in ten other banks in the inter-mountain country. He is a leading figure in the Republican party, and has recently resigned a six year appointment on Idaho's first Public Utilities Commis- sion, after serving nearlv two vears. Of Senator Brady, who is not only one of the most distinguished citizens of Poeatello. nor yet of Idaho, having been governor of the state, but also of the United States, he being a mem- ber of the nation's highest legislative body, we will speak in the next chap- ter. Men who left Poeatello ten or fif- teen yean ago would hardly recognize the city today. Recently a man re- History of Bannock County turned from Ohio, who had owned a large number of lots near Center and Main streets in the late nineties, and who sold them for a modest sum after having- held them for some years on speculation. He learned to his sur- prise and chagrin that the property he had sold for fifteen hundred dol- lars is worth more than twenty thou- sand today. Another old-timer who grew tired of the west and returned to his eastern home, in acknowledging the receipt of a picture of Pocatello, wrote that the picture was very nice but that he knew it was not a picture of Pocatello because Pocatello had no trees ! Not only is the city well supplied with trees, but it is equipped with the full complement of an up-to-date city. Commercially it is one of the most active and prosperous in the west. It has an ample supply of water, of electric power, a street ear service, and is gradually installing new improvements in its street and sewerage system. It is a common thing in the west for growing cities to outstrip themselves in their zeal for improvements, and an unwise en- thusiasm and optimism has plunged many municipalities into embarrass- ment and debt. Pocatello has been wisely governed in this respect, and if she is rather behindhand in some lines of improvement, this is far (131) History of Bannock County preferable to being several years ahead, and attempting by a forced growth to meet an unneeded equip- ment. Several local organizations, notably the Civic Club, have done much for the betterment of civic life in the city, and it is probable that the next five years will see a decided im- provement in the appearance of both streets and homes. The religious needs of the city are well supplied. The Congregational church was organized in 1888, and Trinity parish, of the Episcopal church, was established the following year. Since then the Baptist, Metho- dist, and Presbyterian denominations have built up strong institutions. The Latter Day Saints and the Roman Catholic church ai*e so strong that they have each two churches, one on the east and one on the west side of the town. No reference to the re- ligious growth of Pocatello would be complete without a sketch of the Rev. Father Cyril Van der Donekt, who came to Idaho as a missionary in 1SS7 and has resided in Pocatello since 1888. Father Van der Donekt was born in [-ielgium in 1865 and was educated in Etenaiz College, in the Seminary of iSt. Nicholas, and in the American college in Louvain. By a special dis- pensation from Pope Leo XIII, he was ordained when twenty months (132) History of Bannock County under age, and came directly to Idaho, where he has since labored. During six years he was general missionary for the whole of southern Idaho, his ministrations covering eleven coun- ties, and for some time he was the only secular priest in the whole state. In addition to St. Joseph's parish, a large and strong institution, Father Van der Donckt has built a parish school, and will soon see a hospital added to his establishment. The pro- longed and faithful services of such a man as Father Van der Donckt are invaluable to any community, but es- pecially to a country in its formative stage. The hardships, discourage- ments and indifference that the latter condition always throws in the way of a missionary call for no ordinary amount of pluck and perseverance, and great credit is due to the man who faces them unflinchingly and who out of nothing builds up a flourishing and useful work. Among the religious activities of Pocatello, the Railroad Young Men's Christian Association takes a leading place. This is the second largest in- stitution of its kind in the United States, having a membership of over fifteen hundred members. Its success is due to the ability of its general secretary. A. B. Richardson, and his associate, Eric A. Krussman. During recent years Christian Sci- (133) History of Bannock County ence has becoe firmly established in Pocatello. Other among the city's public in- stitutions are the Carnegie Public Library and the Pocatello General Hospital. In addition to her public school system, of which Supt. W. R. Sliders is the head, Pocatello is the seat of the Academy of Idaho, a state insti- tution created by the legislature of 1901. and opened for instruction in 1902. The city gave ten acres as a site 'for the Academy, and in 1905 the state gave the institution forty thou- sand acres of land, the sale of "which will provide an endowment. The work of the Academy is largely along tech- nical lines, and for the use of the agricultural department a hundred- acre farm has been purchased just south of the city. Miles F. Reed is president of the Academy, which has about three hundred students. Standing sentinel over the city, towering above it to the south, and doubtless protecting it from many a wind and storm, is Kinport's peak. Harry Kinport, for whom this moun- tain was named, is now dead, but he was well known in Pocatello a few years ago, and is supposed to have been the first white man to climb the mountain. He signalized his feat by planting a flag there. Kinport was a business man in Pocatello 'for several (134) History of Bannock County years, coming* to the town in 1885. He was always a great hunter and fisherman, and when President Roose- velt visited the city, caught a mess of trout and presented them to the visitor. There is every reason to hope that Pocatello will have a population of over 20.000 before the next census. Its facilities as a distributing point are attracting many manufacturing; and merchandise companies, who are building warehouses, and the fact that the Oregon Short Line railroad has built a freight depot to handle the traffic of a town of 50,000 population, shows that the management of that line expects a big growth. (135) CHAPTER XII. CONCLUSION. (Kid) There are twenty-three counties in the state of Idaho, of which sixteen have a smaller and six a larger popu- lation than Bannock, while twelve counties have a smaller area and ten a larger. Therefore, Bannock is one of the larger counties of the state. This position she has creditahly maintained in hoth the number and the quality of her public men, of whom several were mentioned in the last chapter. Others who deserve mention here are former State Senators Ruel Rounds, George C. Parkinson, Louis S. Keller, John B. Thatcher, George H. Fisher and W. H. Mendenhall, our present senator, and former State Representatives William A. Walker, Robert V. Cozier, L. R. Thomas, William McGlee Harris. Denmark Jen- sen, W. H. Lovesy, Edward L. Holz- heimer, Thomas M. Edwards, John Schutt, C. W. Dempster, W. H. Men- denhall and C. W. Cray, I). J. Lau and D. J. Elrod, the county's present representatives. Many of these men have been re- turned to office several times, J. Frank Hunt, of Downey, having rep- History of Bannock County resented the county either as sena- tor or representative continuously since 1900, with the exception of one term of office. In 1900, Thomas Ter- rell was elected lieutenant governor of the state, and in 1908, James H. Brady, of Pocatello. present United States senator for Idaho, was re- turned as governor. Senator Brady was born in Indiana count}, Pennsylvania, June 12, 1862, but was taken to Kansas by his parents in early boyhood, where he was educated in the State Normal College. He taught school for three years, fitted himself for the profes- sion of law, edited a semi-weekly newspaper for two years, and then became interested in the real estate business. In time he was operating successful offices in St. Louis, Chi- cago and Houston, Texas. The irri- gation and power possibilities of Ida- ho attracted him to this state in 1895, when he beeame identified with the development of the Snake river val- ley, the Idaho. Marysville and Fort Hall canals being among the projects in which he was active. He has been a leading factor in the electrical de- velopment of southeastern Idaho, the Idaho Consolidated Power company, at American Falls, being one of his useful and successful enterprises. Although a man with large private interests that demanded much time (137) History of Bannock County and attention. Senator Brady has been an active and ruling figure in the Republican party in Idaho for several years. In 1900 he was a dele- gate to the Republican national con- vention and in 1908 he was a mem- ber of the committee sent by the con- vention to notify William H. Taft of his nomination for the presidency of the United States. He was vice- president of the National Irrigation Congress in 1896 and 1898, and a member of its executive committee from 1900 until 1904. The senator has always represented his constitu- ents efficiently and well and in re- turn enjoys their personal good-will and loyalty. It was Senator Brady who made possible the "Western Governors' Special," a railway train which toured the east in 1911 in what proved to be a very successful attempt to forge closer the links that bind the east and west, and to demonstrate by exhibits carried on the train that the sums expended by the United States government for the reclamation of arid western lands were wisely in- vested. The governors of Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Ne- vada, Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota and Minnesota accom- panied the train, each in his own car. The expedition, which has been justlv termed "one of the most (138) History of Bannock County unique incidents in the annals of publicity," was entertained at din- ner in the White House at Washing- ton by President Taft. Among the-men who played import- ant parts in developing Bannock county, is the late Henry 0. Hark- ness, who founded the town of Mc- Cammon, which formerly bore his name. Mr. Harkness was bo:n in Nor- walk, Ohio, in 1838, and as a young man learned the rade of machinist. When the Civil war broke out, he en- listed in the Washburn Lead-Mine regiment and attained the rank of captain before he was honorably dis- charged from the service in 1865. The following year he left Atchison. Kan- sas, with an outfit of four wagons and ten oxen, and crossed the plains to the Madison valley in Montana. Here he engaged in stock-raising but a se- ver, winter killed most of his cattle, and in the spring of 1867 he moved south into Idaho. He spent three years in the northern part of the state and in 1870 settled in the Portneuf valley, where he once more raised stock. He was a man of unusual business sagacity, combining shrewd foresight with an ingenuity that de- fied defeat, and he soon acquired both wealth and influence in the commu- nity. He was county commissioner of Oneida from 1874 until 1880. At (139) History of Bannoc k C o u n t y the time of his death in 1911, his estate consisted in part of seventeen hundred acres of land near McCain- mon, sixteen hundred acres in the vicinity of Oxford, the large H. 0. Harkness hotel at M^Caminon, which was a landmark in the county for several years but was destroyed by fire i 1913, the flour mill in McCam- mon, and several mammoth feed barns in the same town. Mr. Hark- ness was the first postmaster of Mc- Cammon and the first man in south- ern Idaho to own an electric light plant. Another citizen of McCammon who is a factor in both the political and business life of the county is the Hon. Thomas M. Edwards, who, with his brothers Walter and Charles own the McCammon Investment company. Mr. Edwards was a member of the State House of Representatives from 190S until 1910, and a member of the Republican state central committee for Bannock county in 1910 and 1911. Thomas Edwards was born in Yankton, S. D., in 1864. His father, Colonel Thomas H. Edwards, was a veteran of the civil war and his grandfather, Col. Jonathan Edwards, was a veteran of the Mexican war. Thomas Edwards settled in McCam- mon in 1900. being attracted to the town by the opportunities it offered. Since that time he has helped to or- (140) History of Bannock County ganize the McCarmnon State Bank, of which he was formerly president, the McCarnmon Telephone company, the Portneuf - Marsh Valley Irrigation company, the Downey Townsite & De- velopment company, the Ferguson- Jenkins Drug company, of which Thomas Jenkins and Samuel Fergu- son are the present proprietors, and several other smaller enterprises. The first permanent settlement in Bannock county was made in 1866, when a party of Latter Day Skints established themselves at what is now Malad City. Since that time most of the larger Christian denominations have carried their missionary work into the county, whose religious de- velopment unfortunately has been carried on principally by a succession of short ministries. In addition to the Rev. C. Van der Donckt, of whom some account has already been given, two men, however, have worked long and faithfully in building up the re- ligious life of the county. One of these is the Venerable Howard Stoy, an archdeacon of the Episcopal church, who, with headquarters in Poeatello, gives pastoral care to over twenty-five mission points, although not all of these are in Bannock coun- ty. His jurisdiction, indeed, covers a distance of more than two hundred miles westward from the Wyoming line, and in the course of his work (141) History of BannockCounty lie sometimes travels three thousand miles in a month. He has opened up many a town and hamlet to ehurchly influence and has conducted services at points that had never known a Christian service until his coming. Such men, above all others, are con- tributing to both the present and future upbuilding of the community, and to them is all honor due. Mr. George Peacock, a missionary of the American Sunday School association of Philadelphia, is another man who is sacrificing all worldly interests in order to carry Christian instruction to children who must be without it, except for him. Mr. Peacock organ- izes undenominational Sunday schools in places that have no church, these schools in time being taken over by the first church to establish itself in the town. The principal occupations in the county at the present time are ranch- ing, stockraising and railroading. It is quite possible that mining will be added to these in years to come, and that manufacturing will soon be added to the list is a very safe pre- diction. The exceptional railroad fa- cilities, the abundant water power afforded by the rapid current of the Portncuf, and the conveniences of a city like Pocatello will offer strong inducements to manufacturers, as soon as the population of the sur- (142) History of Bannock County rounding country is sufficiently great to offer a lucrative, market. The history of Bannock county is one of which her citizens may well be proud. It has been consistently progressive and healthy. The suffrage was granted to women in 1896, when the state of Idaho adopted woman's suffrage, and in 1911 the county ex- ercised its local option rights and voted for prohibition. With the exception of the strike in the Oregon Short Line Railroad shops in Pocatello in 1911. when the shop- men walked out, there has been no really serious labor trouble in the annals of the county, and in the case of the strike in 1911, which is still unsettled, there was no violenee nor rioting. The history of Bannock eounty is a history of honest men and clean citizens. Its pages are unstained by any public scandal, or official dishon- esty, but, on the contrary, bear the records of an industrious and true- hearted race of men. The future of the county is promising and bright. The foundation of her development has been truly laid, and her command- ing commercial position, her abun- dant and fertile resources, her splen- did climate and her excellent railroad facilities insure a prosperity that few other communities can expect. (143) THE -=---- ' " '" 111